Let's say there's a farmer who lives in Tibet years ago. He's never heard of Christ, but he tries to lead a decent life. He provides for his family, he treats his neighbors with respect, and he never violated the ten commandments, even though he's never heard of them. Then, one day, while bringing food to the market to sell, his horse trips, he falls off, hits his head, and dies.
Would a loving God send him to hell?
2007-12-16 10:00:01 · 31 answers · asked by jacob decibel 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Father K, if God reveals himself in nature, why has Christianity never sprung up spontaneously in other cultures? It has always been spread by missionaries and other Christians who convert others.
2007-12-16 10:10:15 · update #1
"Lion of Judah," Christian missionaries didn't arrive in Tibet until the last few hundred years. Are you telling me God has condemned whole nations of people for all eternity simply because they never heard about the gospels?
Sorry, that's no god I want to be a part of. That is evil.
2007-12-16 10:33:39 · update #2
All people are accountable to God whether they have “heard about Him” or not. The Bible tells us that God has clearly revealed Himself in nature (Romans 1:20) and in the hearts of people (Ecclesiastes 3:11). The problem is that the human race is sinful; we all reject this knowledge of God and rebel against Him (Romans 1:21-23). Apart from God's grace, God would give us over to the sinful desires of our hearts, allowing us to discover how useless and miserable life is apart from Him. This He does for those who reject Him (Romans 1:24-32).
In reality, it is not that some people have not heard about God. Rather, the problem is that they have rejected what they have heard and what is readily seen in nature. Deuteronomy 4:29 proclaims, “But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” This verse teaches an important principle: everyone who truly seeks after God will find Him. If a person truly desires to know God, God will make Himself known.
2007-12-16 10:02:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 3⤋
If he never heard the gospel of Christ, how could he be a sinner? He will be judged according to his own life.
Those who've never heard the gospel or have no idea who Jesus is, those who are too young to make that commitment (babies, young children), and those who can't make that decision because of a mental defect will not be judged the same as the rest of us.
Now, say there was a missionary who was supposed to go to Tibet but backed out for selfish reasons...... That missionary will probably have to answer for what he did. By not going, he denied people the chance to learn God's word. But that man who never heard of Him? No. He isn't condemned to Hell for not knowing about God.
2007-12-16 10:07:13 · answer #2 · answered by Little Red Hen 2.0 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Bible says, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." [Romans 3:23 (King James Version)] It is impossible for anyone to have never broken any of the ten commandments.
The Bible also says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." [Isaiah 64:6 (King James Version)] We cannot earn our salvation through good works.
I do know that God's judgment will be fair. Because the farmer never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel and led a life pleasing to God, I believe that he would be with God in heaven.
2007-12-16 10:20:04 · answer #3 · answered by bree 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First off, you show an ignorance regarding "hell". Where do you suppose Christ went while he was dead three days?
And to answer your question:
John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Your Tibetan may well have salvation. God does not condemn people merely for when and where they were born.
.
2007-12-16 14:06:47 · answer #4 · answered by Hogie 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I once read something very striking to me. I've heard it said that if someone has never heard of Jesus, that that person will go to Heaven by default, if you will. If that is so, then why send missionaries into harms way? One has to believe in hell to believe that anyone will be sent there. Jesus makes it very clear that whoever does not believe in Him, will perish. Perish, death? Your thoughts will cease that very day. The Bible says that the "dead know nothing" and that the living "know that they will die." If there is a "hell", then it is eternal seperation from God. Not eternal torment. However, eternity without God, will be torment. You would perish, perhaps know nothing. Those who believe and accept Christ will not perish, but have everlasting life.
2007-12-16 10:57:29 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
a million. extremely 2. This who do not comprehend the regulation are actually not under the regulation. Jhn 9:40-one KJV - Jesus reported unto them, If ye have been blind, ye would desire to have not any sin: yet now ye say, We see; hence your sin remaineth. So now i assume the question will become. What with reference to the guy who's uncovered to Jesus their finished existence and is given each probability to have a private dating with the authors of existence yet makes excuses and rejects Christ at each turn?
2016-10-01 23:12:52 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that if in deed this man, who lived an isolated life, never hearing the Gospel died, would be saved. If you have heard the Gospel and you reject it, you are in dangerous territory. The Bible teaches only through Jesus Christ do you come to the Father.
2007-12-16 10:13:33 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, according to the Bible all people who have no heard of God don't go to hell. They are saved.
Which basically puts the overall intentions of missionaries under question. If they're going to be saved, why would you convert some and then the people who hear of God and don't convert go to hell - when they would've gone to heaven?
2007-12-16 10:04:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, those who die and have never ever had the chance to except christ...meaning they've never heard of him, are not held accountable for the belief in him....this would also include, babies, and children too young to comprehend, mentally disabled and someone like your farmer in Tibet. also...if there is a person out there who is absolutely completely perfect then they too would make it into heaven,,however you would have to understand, this person would have to be a person who can overcome original sin, (orginial sin has the misconception of being a sin handed down from adam and eve and thats not the case at all...orginial sin means they have the means to be untouched by the sins of this world....which is basically impossible) a person who can overcome sin...is a person who can overcome death, because death only came because of sin. this person would have to be better than mother theresa..who even her herself would not get into heaven without her faith in Jesus...so yes its possible for those who have never, and will never find out about Jesus, but others to be absolutely perfect.....not a possibility.
2007-12-16 10:12:09 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes..You somehow don't understand the ten commandments, as your friend violated them already. Everyone is a sinner even your little Tibetan friend and if he doesn't deal with that fact then he must deal with it in eternity and can not enter into heaven as NO sin enters in.
You treat this like someone not wanting you at their party and this is a case of we are all criminals and the crime needs to be paid for or we pay for it. Either we receive Christ or we don't get in.
Whatever the situation a sinner that is not cleansed from his sin can not enter.. Deal with the sin while you are alive.
2007-12-16 10:05:05 · answer #10 · answered by † PRAY † 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋